The anarchists in the Spanish Civil War

The Anarchists in the Spanish Civil War is the first study to present a total, comprehensive view of the anarchists' role in Spain from 1936 to 1939, both during the conflict and in their unique social and economic experiments behind the lines. Much has been written about the Civil War, but here for the first time, the role of the anarchists is outlined – from their rise to a brief experience of power in the war's first phase to their final defensive position in the face of Stalin's ruthless drive to gain control of the Republic. In his thorough and careful examination of the part played by the anarchists in all aspects of Spanish life – economic, political military, social and cultural – and on the world stage, the author looks again at many of the controversial issues of the war. Among them is that of the anarchists' role in the army, particularly in the defence of Madrid, on which he is able to cast new light. And again, on the emergence of new evidence, he also presents a favourable view of life in the worker- controlled rural and urban collectives. Inspired by a schoolboy visit to Spain in 1936, this balanced and authoritative study is based on nearly 60 years of painstaking and wide ranging research. It is meticulously substantiated by extensive notes and references and enlivened by interviews with surviving anarchists. The Anarchists in the Spanish Civil War indeed fills a gap in our understanding of one of the major events of the twentieth century.